Fantasy players that paired Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers with Davante Adams (132 yards, two TDs), Randall Cobb (95 yards, TD) or even Ty Montgomery (126 total yards) for Thursday night's game are sitting pretty right now. Those that paired Rodgers with Jordy Nelson (nine yards)? Not so much. This, in a nutshell, displays the inherent boom-or-bust nature of stacking.
The goal of this weekly column is to help find the most profitable stacks, while avoiding the duds. Stacking, or pairing multiple players from the same NFL team, is an ideal way to maximize your point production, which is crucial in larger GPP (guaranteed prize pool) tournaments. Let's take a look at some of the top stacks for Week 7, loosely sorted by salary.
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High Priced Week 7 DFS Stacks
New England QB Tom Brady and TE Rob Gronkowski at Pittsburgh
Brady is back, and he appears highly motivated. He's thrown for at least 375 yards and three touchdowns in both starts since his suspension ended. That has to be a bit deflating for the rest of the NFL -- sorry, I couldn't resist.
Unsurprisingly, Gronkowski has put together back-to-back 100-yard games since Brady's return, so this stands out as one of the more productive stacks, regardless of matchup. Of course, a date with the Pittsburgh Steelers' 30th-ranked pass defense (294 yards allowed per game) makes this play that much sweeter.
Atlanta QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones vs. San Diego
You shouldn't need much convincing when it comes to Ryan and Jones, but just in case you still do: The Falcons are at home for the first time since Week 4 ... when Ryan threw for 503 yards and four touchdowns.
The Chargers are banged up on defense, and currently rank 24th in the NFL in pass defense (280 yards allowed per game). Jones will be a popular play this week due to his high floor, but he could very well finish as fantasy's top-scoring wide receiver. Don't overthink this: Ryan and Jones are studs.
Oakland QB Derek Carr and WR Amari Cooper at Jacksonville
After a three-game stretch of underwhelming production, Cooper has strung together consecutive monster outings -- 138 yards and a touchdown in Week 5, 129 yards in Week 6. Expect that trend to continue in Week 7 against the Jaguars' leaky secondary.
Jacksonville actually ranked eighth in the NFL in defending the pass (218 yards allowed per game), but its defense is still young and susceptible to big plays. Carr is coming off an uneven performance last Sunday against Kansas City, but this week's matchup has "rebound" written all over it.
Moderately Priced Week 7 DFS Stacks
Jacksonville QB Blake Bortles and WR Allen Robinson vs. Oakland
Of course, Carr and Cooper won't be the only ones joining in on the fun Sunday in Jacksonville. Look for Bortles and Robinson (and perhaps Allen Hurns, if he's healthy) to post solid production against the Raiders' woeful pass defense.
Oakland still ranks last in the league in passing yards allowed per game (313), and only six teams have allowed more passing touchdowns. Bortles and Robinson are due -- long overdue, in fact -- for major breakout games. They won't find a better matchup, at least on paper.
Cincinnati QB Andy Dalton and WR A.J. Green vs. Cleveland
The Cleveland Indians are in the World Series for the first time since 1997. The Cleveland Cavaliers won the city's first title since 1964. The Browns ... are 0-6. Two out of three isn't bad!
The Bengals enter Sunday's matchup with a disappointing 2-4 record, so they should be in desperation mode to keep pace in the AFC playoff hunt. For Dalton, that should mean plenty of targets in the direction of Green, who was torched the Browns in the past. This is likely to be a popular, albeit cost-effective, stack.
Kansas City QB Alex Smith and TE Travis Kelce vs. New Orleans
Before you read any further, yes, we fully acknowledge the risk in playing anyone from the Chiefs' offense, particularly in the passing game, in DFS. But sometimes the matchup is simply too good to ignore. A home game against the Saints' wretched would qualify as such.
Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin makes for a reasonable pairing with Smith, as does fellow wide receiver Chris Conley. Kelce, however, has the most upside. New Orleans' defense has been burned by Hunter Henry and Greg Olsen in its last two games.
Bargain Week 7 DFS Stacks
Washington QB Kirk Cousins and WR Jamison Crowder at Detroit
This is a tough one. No one can dispute the great matchup for Cousins -- Detroit's pass defense is one of the league's worst. The Lions have allowed 17 passing touchdowns this season, the most in the NFL.
The trick is identifying which player(s) to pair with Cousins. DeSean Jackson and Jordan Reed haven't practiced this week due to injuries, leaving their statuses uncertain. That leaves Crowder and Pierre Garcon as the top options.
San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick and WR Torrey Smith vs. Tampa Bay
Kaepernick's promotion to the starting lineup paid immediate dividends for Smith, who finished with three receptions for 76 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown. This duo will come cheap, and provides decent upside in a solid matchup.
Tampa Bay's secondary, despite a handful of offseason additions, hasn't looked radically improved this season. The Buccaneers rank 19th in passing yards allowed per game (262), and the team's nine sacks rank among the league's lowest totals.